Brisbane’s Vietnamese Catholic Community has a place of worship they can call their own, with the official opening of their new church on Saturday. Source: The Catholic Leader.
Thousands of people flocked to Inala for the opening and consecration of the Queen of the Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church and surrounding community centre, which was opened to cater to the community’s booming population.
It was a day many people said was “a long time coming” and a long-held desire for the community.
Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge said the new church was “a monument to the faith, dedication and generosity of the Vietnamese people”.
“This church is so magnificent that I think I am going to make it my cathedral,” Archbishop Coleridge said with a laugh.
“It is the sort of thing that is born of the blood of the martyrs. It has been a most extraordinary journey and a most extraordinary effort.
“My hope here is that it won’t just be a magnificent set of buildings, but it will build a real community into the future.
“This is not just for the sake of the Vietnamese Catholic Community, but for the sake of the whole Church, because we need your gift at a time like this.”
Queen of the Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church is a modern-style stone church with an abundance of natural light.
Archbishop Coleridge thanked the many who made the project possible, especially Parramatta Bishop Vincent Long, Divine Word Missionaries Australia vice provincial Fr Albano Da Costa and community chaplain Fr Joseph Vu, who has been instrumental throughout the whole process.
Bishop Long said the day was significant for all Vietnamese people in the community.
“The day marks not just the completion of a beautiful church, but the growth and coming of age of the Vietnamese Catholic Community,” he said.
Thousands of parishioners attended the event, which included celebratory speeches, unveiling of the plaque, cutting of the ribbon, Mass and a community lunch.
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Vietnamese Community open Brisbane’s newest Catholic church (By Michael Howard, The Catholic Leader)
